Submissions

Linda Leith Publishing is interested in literary non-fiction submissions on a variety of topics. We will also consider unsolicited submissions of fiction, but please be aware that priority goes to writers we have previously published. We are currently booked for two years to come, with only a couple of spots to fill. So please send us your best work.

In publishing, what matters most is the right fit between publisher and author. We have spent time on this page to provide the most helpful information we can.

[Photo: Eléonore Delvaux-Beaudoin]

Submissions guidelines

LLP publishing program

We are glad to receive queries from Canadian citizens and permanent residents interested in submitting an original fiction or non-fiction manuscript.

We publish in print and electronic formats, and we normally buy world rights.

We have a particular interest in short books and distinctive authorial voices, and we're interested in knowing if there's a market for a book.

Literary quality is our main criterion. However, we are a small press publishing about 10 titles a year, including work in French and work in translation. We therefore have to be extremely selective and can publish only a fraction of the quality manuscripts we receive.

Please note that we cannot offer an opinion of your submission, nor of what other houses might wish to publish, and we cannot facilitate your submission elsewhere.

In fiction, only novels and novellas will be considered.

For non-fiction, in the LLP Singles series of short essays, manuscripts should be 16,000 - 25,000 words. We also consider longer works of trade non-fiction. You can consult the Canada Council's definition of literary non-fiction here to see if your title would be considered eligible for funding.

In translations, we have many in the works, but can still consider submissions for 2020.

LLP does not publish: poetry, romance, historical fiction, science fiction, graphic novels, cartoons, collections of essays or interviews, books for young people, and previously published work. Because of funding criteria, we do not publish reprints.

How do you know if your book is right for LLP – and LLP is right for you? Read more on this website, familarize yourself with books page and read some of the books we have published.

[Photos: Linda Leith, Eléonore Delvaux-Beaudoin]

And then?

Response times vary, depending on your submission and our workload. We try to confirm receipt in a week or two, but it may take up to three months during the busiest times.

Advice for Emerging Writers

We regret that we are not able to provide editorial comments or discuss the merits of your submission.

If you do feel the need for feedback and support, as many writers do, please consider a creative writing course, join or start a writing group or take advantage of the excellent writing workshops, mentoring programs, networking opportunities and manuscript evaluation services offered by the writers' organizations in your area. There is no better investment in your writing career than joining one of these. They are designed with you in mind.

All this said, we do look forward to reading your work. We have now published over 50 books, and several arrived unexpectedly by email.

If we decide to publish your book, we'll ask you to sign a publishing agreement.

After that, we enter the editing process which can take anywhere from a few months to a year or more. We'll use the Track Changes feature in Word and will expect you to do the same. We'll ask you to provide (and cover the cost of) any permissions required and a rights-free professional promotional photo. We'll consult you on catalogue copy, cover possibilities, blurbs, publicity and events in which you might participate.

We will encourage you to promote your work on social media, on your website, and in your own milieu. We'll help you meet other LLP and LLÉ authors on line or, if possible, in person, and we'll encourage you to promote one another's work. We will pitch your book to print and electronic media and advertise it selectively. We'll submit your book for prizes for which it is eligible, and when we are forced to select only one or two books, we will do our utmost to treat your book fairly. We'll work with you, every step of the way, to support you and give your book its best chance of success. And when you are successful, we'll celebrate with you.

Querying

Query when your manuscript is in final form and as good as you can make it. We will read your material only once before making a decision.

Very few authors spring out of nowhere. We have published books by experienced, award-winning and first-time authors. All had a track record before publishing with us.

How to Query

Please include the following material in your query:

1. A synopsis, no more than one page in length; 2. The first chapter or two of the book (10 - 20 pages) and its overall length (approximate number of words); 3. Biographical information, including details of your previous publications and confirmation of Canadian citizenship or permanent resident status; no more than one page in length. 4. A short cover note.

All material should be pasted into the text of your email.

Please do not send this material as an attachment, for we don't open attachments unless we have asked for them; please do not send an entire manuscript; please do not send cover art; please do not mail your submission; and please do not ask us to consult a website to find examples of your work. We do not accept or discuss submissions on social media.

If your submission interests us, we will ask to see more, at which point you should prepare a complete, clean ms., in a neutral font, numbered consecutively throughout. We may ask for a ms. in Word or for a printed copy or both.

If your submission interests us, we will ask to see more. At that point, you should prepare a complete, clean copy, in a neutral font and consecutively numbered. We may ask for your manuscript in Word electronically, in printed form or both. Please do not mail us printed mss.

NOTE: Paste all material into your email. For security reasons, we do not open attachments unless we ask for them.